Heavy duty equipment and/or machinery, and especially heavy duty off road vehicles such as front end loaders, backhoes, excavators, bulldozers, etc., typically include hydraulic systems. The hydraulic systems utilize a hydraulic fluid to actuate hydraulic motors and/or hydraulic pistons. The flow of the hydraulic fluid to and from the hydraulic motors and/or the hydraulic pistons are generally controlled by hydraulic valves.
The hydraulic valves include a supply port that receives the hydraulic fluid from a pump, and a work port that directs the hydraulic fluid from the hydraulic valve to the hydraulic motor and/or the hydraulic piston. During operation of the hydraulic systems, an operator inputs a command, for example by actuating a control lever or the like. The inputted command actuates the hydraulic valve to abruptly move between positions to redirect the flow of the hydraulic fluid to change the movement of the hydraulic system. For example, movement of a control lever between a first position and a second position may cause the hydraulic system to raise or lower a bucket on a front end loader.
The abrupt movement between positions on heavy duty equipment generates a rapid rate of change, i.e., acceleration or deceleration, of various components on the equipment. The resultant movement of the machine caused by the rapid acceleration or deceleration of the hydraulic system is commonly referred to as jerk. When accompanied by the heavy loads that these pieces of heavy duty equipment commonly handle, excessive jerk may occur which stresses the equipment and the operator.